Meter-box.



FUNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

HENR-Y E. MCWANEQOF LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO LYNCHBURG FOUNDYUO.,

- OF LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

METER-BOX.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led February 21, 1908. Serial No. 417,092.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

'citizen'l of the United States, residing at Lynchburg, in the county ofCampbell and State of Virginia, have invented a new and usefulMeter-Box, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in closures forstreet or outside meter boxes, though useful for other analogousdevices, andthe principal object is to provide a simple and inexpensiveclosure that can be cheaply produced, will effectively prevent theingress of dirt to the box, can'be properly locked, and easily unlockedfor the purpose of inspecting the meter', and

' is so constructed that there is little liability of derangement.

The preferred form of construction is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein l Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portionof a box, showing the closure in open vposition. Fig. 2 is a detailsectional View through the hinge. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view showingthe closure locked. Fig. 4 is a sectional view therethrough, on the line5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference numerals designate eorresponding parts in all theiigures of the drawings.I

In the embodiment illustrated, the upper portion only of the box body isshown, and is esignated 6, this body being cylindrical in form andhaving an open upper end provided with integral inset lugs 7, at itsupper margin.

' These lugs, in the presentembodiment, are

diametrically opposite to veach other and have oppositely inclinedlower' edges 8, together with depending stops 9, formed at the lowerends of the edges. 'lhe body l'nrthermore .has an outstanding integrallug 8" arranged haii' way between the lugs 7 and` provided with a socket9, the upper and lower ends ot' which are open.

The closure is in the form of a disk or plate l0 that rests u on the topedge oi' the box and is provide( inside its margin wilh an integraldepending flange comprising sections 11, the sections being formed bycutting away opposite portions ol' the ilange, as shown at 12 to receivethe lugs 7 when the closure is in place, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Theclosure disk or plate l'uri hermore is provided with an integralprojecting hinge lug comprising a downwardly and outwardly inclined neck13 terminating in an enlargedy head 14, the op osite edges 15 of whichare rounded, said e ges converging toward their lower ends to form apoint 16. The opposite portions of the edges, which converge to fornisaid point, are substantially flat, forming stop shoulders. The head 14,as A.shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 4, is engaged in the socket9a of the outstanding lug 8, vand the two parts cooperate to form ahinge on which the closure 10 swings, the upward or rearward swingingmovement of the closure peing limited by the' head, as shown in rFor thepurpose of locking the closure in its operative or closed position, alocking bar 17 lis employed and is'riveted or otherwise iixedly secured,as shown at 18 to the lower end of a rotary bolt 19 'ournaled inthecen-A tral ortion of the dis 10 and having an angu ar head 20 at its uper endthat is arranged in a socket 21 in t e cap. The locking bar 17 hasits ends operating upon the lower edges of the flange sections 11 onopposite sides of the cut-away portion '12, and said ends are arrangedto move from the flange sections to positions beneath the lugs ,7,riding against the inclined edges 8 and being stopped by the shouldersorzlug's 9. The movement of the bar in'an opposite direction is alsolimited by a depending stop 22 formed upon the lower edge of one ofthefiange sections 11.

With this structure, it will be evident that the closure plate can heswung freely from open to closed position, and can be readily detached,inasmuch as the head 14 is removable from the socket 9 when the closurelate is in a undetermined position. When, owever, t e closure is in itsoperative position over the open en'd of the body 6, the flange sectionsll and lugs 7 constitute an effective seal against the ingress of dirtand trash, and said lugs constitute eontinuations of the Ilangesections. Il now the locking bar 17 is turned to a position beneath thelugs 7, by means of a proper key, applied to the head 2l), it will heevident that said closure plate will not only be elleetively locked, butwill be drawn downwardly hy the ends ol' the bars 17 riding against theinclined edges S oi the lug.

hro'n the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, ,operation andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minordetails of construction, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus iully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isz-- l. A box of the characterdescribed, coniprising a tubular body having an open upper end providedwith inset lugs at its upper margin, said lugs having theirunder edgesnolining downwardly and terminating in depending stops, a closure forthe upper end of the body comprising a plate having its margins restingon the top edges of thel body and having a depending ilange inside themargin that iits within the body, said ila11gel ei1g out away to receivethc inset lugs and said lugs constituting substantial continuations ofthe iiange sections when located in the eutaway portions, a boltjournaled in the elosure, a locking .bar secured between its ends to thelower end of the bolt and located-beneath the under side of the closure,said bar and belt being fixed against relative rotation and the barrotating beneath and with respect te the closure upon the rotation ofthe bolt and having its ends operating below the under side ol the`flange and against the lower inclined edges of the lugs, and other lugsdepending from the iiangc oi the closure for limiting the movement ofthe locking bar.

2. A box of the character described, comprising a tubular body having anopen upper end and an outstanding lug on its upper margin that has asocket with an open upper end, a closure for the open end of the bodycomprising a plate having an outstanding d \\nturncd hinge lugprojecting from one edge el the same, said lug consisting of a neckcarried by thc closure plate, and an enlarged head that is pivotallyengaged in the socket of the lug, the opposite sides of the head beingrounded, and said head terminating in a tapered point, forming stops tolimit the swinging movement of the c osure plate.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. MOWANE. W'itnesses L. W. WALSH, W. W. COFFEY.

